NFL reviewed Thursday’s game where RB Jamaal Charles lowered his helmet into LB Mychal Kendricks, but didn’t draw a penalty. According to Dean Blandino, Charles did not break the crown rule and the officials made the right call. The right call was made because the hit was made inside the tackle box.

Furthermore, the hit was legal because the contact was made three yards beyond the line of scrimmage. If the hit were made any further than the three yards it would have been illegal. Head of official Dean Blandino explained why Charles play was legal.

“The ball was snapped at the 28-yard line and this contact is going to occur right at three yards. It’s right at the 31. It’s just at the outside edge of the tackle box, and so this contact inside the tackle box is legal.”

Additionally, the play was legal because the running backs need to lower their heads as they run into the middle of the line. Blandino explained why the running back is allowed to lower his head, “The back doesn’t know where the hits are coming from. He’s got to be able to try to get small, absorb those blows, and we didn’t want to prohibit the back from lowering his head to try to protect himself and absorb some of these blows.”

The crown rule is new in the NFL and it will take time for all 32 teams to get a better understanding of it. On Thursday it gave the indication of how difficult it is to understand the new crown rule.